Pope Elevates A Catholic Idiot To Bishop

This happened because of gay sex (and possibly Mardi Gras) made God mad. Benedict scores again.

Pope's bishop pick criticized over Katrina comment

VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI's decision to promote a pastor who called Hurricane Katrina divine punishment for sin in New Orleans was criticized by Austrian priests and church groups on Sunday.

The Vatican announced Saturday that the Pope has tapped the Rev. Gerhard Maria Wagner, 54, to be auxiliary bishop in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria province. Wagner caused a stir in 2005 when he was quoted as saying that he was convinced that the death and destruction of Hurricane Katrina earlier that year was "divine retribution" for tolerance of homosexuals and laid-back sexual attitudes in New Orleans.

Wagner did not answer calls to his cell phone seeking comment Sunday.

Hans Padinger, spokesman for the Upper Austrian priest's council, told the Oberoesterreichische Rundschau newspaper that he was "not very pleased" with the pick because it gave him the general impression the Vatican made no attempt to communicate with the Linz Diocese about the matter.

Upper Austrian priest and church dean Franz Wild said he was "appalled" by the decision and that he found it astonishing that someone with such extreme positions could be appointed to a post that was meant to unify.

"I hope it's clear to the church that we're living in the 21st century and that it also has to live there," the newspaper quoted Wild as saying on its Web site. (It's becoming more and more apparent that BXVI would prefer to return the church to the 19th century.)

Franz Guetlbauer, head of a Catholic men's movement, described the appointment as a "extremely conservative sign." The organization "We are Church" predicted that the appointment would push people to leave the church. (Maybe that's the whole idea.)

Upper Austria Governor Josef Puehringer also weighed in, describing Wagner as a "very conservative cleric" and telling broadcaster ORF that the pick suggests the Vatican does not have a realistic picture of the diocese. (perhaps spiritually immature is closer to the truth.)

Kath.Net, a Catholic news agency in Austria, released in 2005 excerpts of what it said were comments Wagner made in a parish newsletter in Linz about Katrina.

It said the newsletter quoted Wagner as saying that Katrina destroyed not only nightclubs and brothels in New Orleans, but also abortion clinics.

"The conditions of immorality in this city are indescribable," Wagner was quoted as saying.

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The good news from the Vatican just keeps coming and coming. This Bishop also thinks the Harry Potter series promotes Satanism. Kind of like the Sound of Music is musical pornography?

Maybe Benedict has given up on promoting any notions of Christian justice. He seems far more comfortable pushing Christian temperance. Here's a pertinent quote from Pieces of Eight by Sydney J Harris:

"In any sound Christian or Judaic theology, the virtue of justice is far more fundamental than that of chastity. Justice is the hinge from which many moral values swing, while temperance is the virtue from which chastity swings.

Millions of people are able to be temperate--as much out of disposition or apathy or fear as out of virtue--while only a few are able or willing to practice justice...One effective way of obscuring our major sins of injustice is by belaboring our minor sins of the flesh. ...Here is where most of the churches and their communicants betray the basic teachings of both Testaments."

There is no better example of this childish confusion than the comments by Bishop Gerhard Wagner that Katrina was divine vengeance for the sexual immorality of New Orleans. This neatly bypasses all the evils of the social injustices which really contributed to the disastrous death toll and devastation of Katrina.

I pray for the day when we Catholics wake up to the fact that this Vatican is trading the difficulties inherent in the pursuit of justice, for the cheap substitute of sexual temperance. To live the command of Vatican II with it's theology of justice, liberty, and equality places far far more demands on people than living Vatican I with it's theology centered in obedience and temperance.

Maybe this is why the Vatican is reversing most of Vatican II. Perhaps Benedict thinks living out the Christian life as described by Vatican II is just too difficult for the 'simple little people'. Maybe he really does think he's doing us a favor by insisting we stay 'little children' and giving us the spiritually challenged leaders he's been giving us.

Didn't President Obama say something about it being time to put away childish things? Maybe he should use his Blackberry to email Benedict. Maybe he could get through to Benedict that his children are getting restless.